To The Man She Loves
by LinkandZeldaForever0329
Summary: Time is running out. She can't keep up this facade for long. Her husband's going to find out sooner or later, and things will fall apart at the seams. That is, if she lives another day.
1. Chapter 1

_back again. these random oneshots i continue to post are just random things ive written in my notepad app on my phone throughout the months. _

_anyway. here's a nice little oneshot in which rapunzel gives herself to the man she loves. despite the fact she's married to someone else._

_oh, yeah._

**disclaimer: dont own tangled.**

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><p><strong>To The Man She Loves<strong>

**Rated M**

She couldn't keep her eyes from drifting over to the man in the corner; so familiar yet such a stranger in her eyes now. His appearance set off the memories she tried to push away ; their first words ; their first kiss ; the first time he made her float. These things she had once considered to be such treasured memories now seemed to be the focus of her recent nightmares.

The laws in the kingdom were fierce and they allowed no one of a criminal past to be slightly even considered to be an inheritant of a seat in the royal thrones. Much to her and his dismay, she had to marry someone who _was_ eligible and he had to stop seeing her. After the horrid breakup, they didn't speak often. A simple 'hello' was all that usually was spoken in passing, along with an occasional 'good afternoon, princess'.

She didn't like it. Sure, Robert, her new husband, was a kind man. He was gentle and caring with her, but she felt no connection, and neither did he. They hardly kissed, only if in the company where they had to put up a show, and they _never_ made love. Sure, they'd have to someday when her parents beckoned for grandchildren, but that was far away. This left them both uncomfortable, stressed, and desperate for any form of satisfaction.

That's when she began to watch Eugene more carefully; taking in every detail of that body she had fallen in love with. She'd seen him bare; well, parts of him bare. But never the whole thing. There was always some form of fabric on his toned body. She recently found herself idly daydreaming of what that body would look like beneath her fingers in a broom closet.

She needed satisfaction. She was a human, for goodness sake. And after he had /shown/ her what it was like to be floating on a sea of pleasure she'd never sailed on before, she needed it more. More, more, more. She always seemed to be a bit selfish about it.

She never knew the right time, though, nor did she know if he would even agree to it. Hell, they hadn't touched each other in almost a _year_.

She knew, though. Oh, she _knew_ that his hands on her body would feel better than anything anybody else could do to her. She had almost forgotten the texture ; the rough callouses against her smooth and unexposed skin. His breath in her ear would warm her completely and send shocks of pleasure all the way to the tips of her bare toes. And his voice, oh, his _voice_ would be deep, damp, and whispering words that set her a blaze.

God, she wanted him. And, dammit, she was going to get what she wanted.

The room cleared out as breakfast came to an end, but she made sure to bide her time by idly pushing the eggs around on her plate. She bid goodbye to her parents and accepted a kiss on the cheek by Robert before the room was emptied of everyone but her and the uniformed man in the corner.

She slowly picked up the pace of her eating, then, but she wasn't hungry for some petty plate of eggs. She was going to need something stronger than that to satisfy this hunger.

She heard Eugene shuffle a bit in place, clearing his throat. He hadn't meant it at her, but she looked up anyway.

"Did you need something?"

"Huh?" he looked over at her, his eyes not meeting hers. "Oh. No. Something in my throat."

"Oh."

She stared down at her plate, fed up with the yellow mess she had made. She cleared her throat, placing her napkin on the table before getting ready to push her chair back.

"Let me get that for you, princess," he hurried over, pulling her chair out. She gave him a confused look, laughing slightly as she stood up and smoothed her skirts.

"What was that for, Mr. Fitzherbert?"

She didn't like calling him that; being so formal. She liked calling him Eugene. She liked being informal with him, like skipping classes or sloppy kisses in the woods where nobody could see them. Now everything between them just seemed awkward.

"Just being chivalrous," he said, brushing his bangs out of his hair. She watched it move, ultimately falling back into his eyes. She sighed quietly, missing the feeling of her hands in his hair and the way his eyes would slip close when she did it.

"You alright?"

She hadn't realized how odd she must've looked; her hands squeezing lightly into the fabric of her green dress and her eyes closing slightly. She couldnt help herself, though. All these memories came flooding back full force and she found herself getting just a bit warmer in tempurature. She knew that feeling, no matter how long it had been since she had.

She opened her eyes, meeting his gaze in a silent connection.

"Mhm."

He dropped his eyes first, clearing his throat before walking towards the door. "Well, if you're done, princess, I'll should be going-"

"Don't call me that," she interjected, stepping towards him. She was gonna do it. Or, do something, at least. She knew how to make him crazy. Well...she used to, that is.

"What-"

"Rapunzel. My name is Rapunzel."

They looked at each other in an almost awkward silence. Her heart skipped as she swore she saw his eyes travel down her torso before meeting her gaze again.

"Rapunzel, I should be going-"

"Eugene."

Silence once again struck the former couple; once thought to be utter soulmates. Once inseparable; now barely able to hold a conversation with each other. She stared at the man infront of her and her fingers twitched to just reach out and touch him. She missed him. And she needed him to show her that he missed her, too.

She reached out very slowly to connect her fingers with his. He sucked in air, his face a mix of confusion and worry, yet he didn't pull away. If anything, his fingers tightened with hers. She looked up to meet his stare.

"Rapunzel," he whispered. "What are you doing?"

She moved her hands to the bottom of his clothed stomach before slowly moving them up his torso as she put a steady pressure to make him walk backwards. His back made contact with the door and he pressed it shut. She moved closer, able to smell him again. For the first time in months, she could finally smell that woodsy, manly scent that had calmed her nightmares so many times before.

"Rapunzel-"

"Stop talking," she said, her arm going around his shoulders as she dragged him down to meet her lips in a kiss so sweet, so forbidden, yet so passionate that she was dizzy. His lips, closed, hesitant, lit her on fire as she stood on the tips of her toes so she could put in even more enthusiasm into it; as to tell him it was okay to kiss her. It was okay. It would be alright. Everything in her life was going to be okay.

He pulled back a bit, his forehead against hers as their breathing turned slightly heavier. She wrapped both arms around his neck, pressing her body flush against his.

"Rapunzel, we can't-"

"Yes, we can."

"I can't do that to him-"

"He won't know."

"Rapunzel," he said in a hushed, torn tone. His hands held either side of her face. "I can't lose you again."

"You won't," she pressed a soft kiss to his lips again and again. "I won't hurt you again."

"It'll happen. We can't stop it-"

"We can work around it."

"This is wrong."

"I don't want to be right."

"Oh, fuck," he groaned in defeat, pulling her face to his with so much need that it lifted her off her feet. She breathed out, realizing she had finally won. She had gotten the one thing she wanted; the one thing she truly needed.

He turned them so she was pressed against the door as his lips worked feverishly with hers. She had forgotten the taste; the feel; the way her toes curled when he dragged his tongue across her bottom lip. His fingers, one hand on her face and the other dragging heavily down her side, we're rough and warm and needy.

It was bliss. She hadn't realized how lonely she had been since he had left. The realization hit her hard, and she physically gasped; pressing her hands to her stomach. He met her eyes, his thumb light on her cheek. "What's wrong?"

Her lip quivered, her fingers reaching up to intertwine with his. "I missed you."

"You have no idea," he pulled her back to him, more slowly this time. She squeezed her eyes shut as she tried to take everything in. She didn't know when she'd get to kiss him again, if they even will kiss again. She had to keep him in her memory, and it had to be as real as it could be.

But the kissing wasn't enough. It wasn't showing her what she needed to see; telling her what she needed to know. She had to know he still loved her like he used to. She needed to feel it.

"Eugene," she whispered, moving to press her lips to his neck. He smelled of aftershave and perfection and just so _him_ that she felt dizzy. "Show me. Touch me. Please."

He nodded, pressing a kiss to her cheek before getting down on his knees and taking her hands in his. He tugged lightly, looking up through his lashes at her and her knees felt weak. She slipped to the ground and he rested between her legs as she sat open for him. She was all his and she needed him to remember it. Despite the marriage with Robert, she was and always would be his. She didn't want to belong to anybody else but him, and she needed him to take her. To be her first. To show his ownership. It was sick, in a way, but she didn't care. She needed to belong to somebody.

He leaned in to kiss her gently as his fingers danced down the lace of her corset. She pulled the fabric off, leaving her torso bare in front of him. His eyes burned into her chest before he moved in to leave heated kisses on her cleavage and she whimpered beneath his touch.

"Eugene," she whispered, simply missing the way his name fell from her lips as his fingers pushed up the layers of her dress to rest near her stomach. He scooted away to help her slip out of her underwear, already wet with her need, and he was back between her thighs in no time. She cried out, throwing her head back as his fingers teased her entrance and his lips pulled at her chest. It had been far too long. "_Eugene_."

"Shush, Blondie," he mumbled into her skin, and she whimpered at the nickname. "We have to be quiet. Close your eyes. Just feel."

She pressed her back against the door as her eyes slipped closed and she focused on the soft and swift movements of his fingers. His free hand held one of hers tightly and he whispered words she'd not heard in months to her. Quiet, soft phrases that had her holding him tighter; closer. Phrases that had been covered with dust and cobwebs from being hidden in the depths of his heart for so long. Words they'd both needed to get out for the longest time; tired of the feeling of them bubbled up on their tongues with nowhere to go. Memories they'd prayed each other hadn't forgotten.

"Do you remember when I took you to the lights?" His voice was deep and quiet and she struggled to keep her voice hushed.

"Mhm," she sighed, then gasped as she felt him slip a finger inside her. She tightened around his hand before he added another, and then hesitantly, a third. She winced at the pain, the stretching, but it was perfect. It was freeing to know his hands were the only ones to be there; to do these things to her. She would forever be fitted to him and only him, and something about that made her moan. "Oh, god. Eugene."

"Say it again. My name. Say it."

The underlying urgency in his tone had her fingers tight in his hair as she pulled his ear to her lips. "Eugene." She closed her eyes and repeated it over and over again, fulfilling his every command. "Eugene, Eugene, _Eugene_."

He growled, leaving chaste kisses down her cheek before his gaze locked with hers. His lips rested nearly half an inch away from hers and she could feel the quickness of his breathing tickling her skin. His fingers quickened and she knew what he was trying to do.

"Eugene-"

"Do you remember the first time I touched you like this?"

The evening under the stars he was talking about flooded through her memory and she quietly cried out as the images and recollection of words sent her over the edge. His hand covered her mouth as his fingers sent her floating to a place she'd not been to in so long. It was warm and soft and she felt like she was melting into a puddle as his fingers brought her back down. Her body felt wobbly and she collapsed forward to lean against him as her lower half spasmed around his hand.

"Eugene," she breathed against the skin of his neck, her fingers reaching out to undo the metal clasps on his vest. She didn't want this to be the end. She wanted to make him feel the way she did. She needed to be close to him; in fear of never being close to him again.

He sensed this as well, and his movements were urgent as he pulled back a ways to rid himself of the restricting uniform. Her body quivered of aftershocks, anticipation, and blissful excitement, and he couldn't keep himself from repeatedly leaning back in to kiss her just one more time. Never knowing which meeting of lips would be their last.

After he rid himself of the last stitch of clothing on his body, he took her face in his hands and held her close. Her lips hovered mere centimeters away and she idly wondered why he was just looking at her.

"Are you sure about this?" he asked hesitantly, although the burning need in his eyes was more than apparent.

"Yes. Please," she whispered, pulling him closer. "Please. I need you."

He pressed forward, capturing her lips as his hand moved down to position himself. She moved to wrap her arms tightly around his neck in a tight embrace, bracing herself for what she knew would be somewhat painful. Especially since this was her first time.

"Wait, wait," she said as she felt him pushing at her entrance. "Just...be gentle. Please. I've never...uhm..."

He pulled his face back to stare at her. "You've never...you've never done this?"

She shook her head gently, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "No. I couldn't. Eugene, I feel absolutely nothing with him at all. I still love _you_. I...I want you to be the one to take me; to have me first." To ruin her for anybody else.

She didn't know what she saw in his eyes, the expression on his face, but he moved his hand to trail down her cheek. His eyes searched hers, and she bit her lip at the intimacy of the moment. For once, she wasn't worried about anything at all. She was with him, she trusted him, and she wanted only him. He's all she's ever wanted; all she'd ever need.

He kissed her, one slow, tender, hard press of the lips before he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her in for an embrace while his other hand took hold of his length.

"Just relax, Blondie," he whispered as she pressed her face into his neck as he began pushing.

The pain was horrible, much worse than she thought it would be. She felt tears prickling in her closed eyes as he slowly pushed on; stretching her; filling her. His hand rubbed her back warmly and his other rubbed small circles into her hip. "Shh. It's going to be okay."

He pressed once more, pushing all the way in, past the barrier, and she let out a welp before biting his shoulder to quiet herself as they sat in silence once again. She tried to adjust her position on his lap to be a more comfortable one and he waited patiently, so sweetly, as she tried to make this better for herself. She knew he must've been going mad just sitting there, but it was just another way to show how unrelenting his love for her is; was.

"You doing okay, princess?" he kissed her temple, smoothing back her short hair; the haircut that he had given her. The one she saw in the mirror every single day that brought back the memories of him. She could remember countless times of breaking down in tears as she stared at herself in the mirror.

"Yeah. You're just," she bit her lip, looking at him. "You're kinda big."

He gave her a small laugh, nuzzling her nose. "You're just tiny. We fit together pretty good, though. Don't you think?"

She nodded, starting a slow movement of her hips. She watched the humor on his face disappear as his mouth opened slowly and his eyes slipped close, a low groan erupting from deep in his throat.

She met his hips, more forcefully with each thrust, as her lips hovered above his mid-kiss. If she wasnt moaning, she was kissing him tenderly. His fingers intertwined with his as he slowly fell onto his back. She sat above him, completely open to him, shamelessly riding him faster and faster as her breathing sped up. Whatever pain there had been was now replaced by such intense pleasure that she wanted to scream. She was so full of him that she bordered on pain, but it felt perfect. He was right; they did fit together perfectly; almost as if they were built for each other.

She opened her eyes to his gaze burning into hers; his fingers tight on her hips. He looked at her like she was some sort of prized jewel, although she was far from it.

"Rapunzel," he groaned, sitting up and pinning her against the door once again as his thrusts grew harder. She gripped his upper arms as she felt herself getting closer and closer to falling over that wonderfully steep edge they used to frequent quite often, just not in this way. And he seemed to be in the same dilemma as she.

"I'm gonna...oh shit," he groaned, reaching down to pull himself out so he wouldn't release into her. But that was the complete opposite of what /she/ wanted.

"No!" she gripped his hips and pushed herself forward to take all of him again quickly, her eyes rolling back."Stay. Stay in...oh.."

"I can't, Rapunzel," he panted. "What if you get-"

"Herbs," she countered, kissing him. "I'll take them. Please. Show me you love me. Show me I'm yours."

She saw the torn expression in his eyes, across his features, and she shoved forward to meet his lips in a rough kiss as she tried to show him how she was feeling. She'd go take the damn things as soon as they were finished. She assumed they wouldn't taste very good, from her study in herbalism, but she didnt care. Her sick and twisted mind needed him to show her; to leave his mark.

He groaned into the sensitive skin of her neck as his hips slowly turned into a swirling motion, hitting just the right spot. She cried out, feeling her release close, and she soon tipped her head back as her back arched. She vaguely remembers hearing him whisper to her; deep, dark words telling her to come for him. And she did. Hard. His hand had to come up to muffle the deep moan in her throat; slipping off her tongue; being pulled from her soul.

She felt him pull her tightly against him as he fell over the edge and she could see straight. It was just her and him and nobody else. Nobody was here to tell her to go to some stupid party with her husband or to go judge some stupid archery contest in the square. Nobody to make her feel uncomfortable. Nobody to remind her just how miserable her real life is. It was Eugene; the man that saved her life. The man she had dreamed of marrying. The only man she loved, and who loved her back.

It was probably the last real moment they'd share. They'd go on their way and have to act like nothing ever happened. They'd have to hide the pain of knowing that the other was still madly in love with them, yet they couldn't do a thing about it.

The weight of the truth and the distant pain she knew she'd felt the moment they parted ways after this moment hit her like a blow to the stomach and she cried out, in pain this time, as she collapsed into his arms and began to sob.

He was stunned and confused, though he wrapped his arms tightly around her shaking frame as he moved into a more comfortable position; pulling himself out of her and cradling her in his lap. She cried quietly against his neck, unable to stop; unable to let go. And he felt it, too, as his grip always seemed to get just a little bit tighter with each passing moment.

Eventually, she could hear bustling outside the door and she knew they had to move. Without a word, without so much as a whisper, they rose to their feet and quickly put their clothes back on. He straightened out her skirts; she smoothed down his hair, and neither of them spoke a word. It was as if they knew a simple word could shatter everything. Shatter into millions of tiny fragments and memories; too sharp and too painful to pick up with bare hands. So they left good enough alone.

He kissed her once; a small puckering of his lips, before opening the door for her. She felt as if stepping out into the hallway, a hallway she'd frequented many times before, was like making the transition from dreaming to reality. The moment they had shared would

forever be nothing else but a dream; a distant memory she could never tell anybody about. But maybe she didn't. She was grown up, an adult. She can keep secrets.

When people asked, she told them they had gotten caught up in conversation and had forgotten the time. Robert, although skeptical, brushed it off; he knew the two had a past and were once best friends.

The pair passed in the hallway quite often. Sometimes she'd acknowledge him with a faint smile or a tip of the head. Or she would completely ignore his presence, afraid of a breakdown. Afraid of those hazel eyes stabbing memories into her heart; too powerful to hold back tears from.

Eventually, she'd forget. She'd be able to go on life without him. But not now. Not while the wounds were fresh and the words he had whispered to her still hot in her ear.

She took the herbs. Robert never found out. She went about her life the same way she had been since she was forced to leave Eugene in the first place. But she loved him. And she always would.

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><p><em>-salutes-<em>


	2. Chapter 2

_omg HELLO EVERYONE! god, i missed you all. well, ive been planning this for a really long time, and i finally sat down to write it out. as you all remember, to the man she loves was a pretty good oneshot, but the plot bunnies were furious with me, and i had to put them into words! i hope you guys enjoy this, and let me know if i should continue! _

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><p><strong>To The Man She Loves<strong>

**Rated M**

**Chapter 2**

It had been nearly a month since Rapunzel's last encounter with Eugene, and yet, it felt like only yesterday when they gave each other to themselves that morning. Fevered lips, heated hands, and a love so painful plagued her dreams ever since. She felt terrible for Robert, her husband, for he had to deal with the aftermath of these nightmares. And, with each nightmare, Rapunzel found herself having to face the questions. She lied countless times, saying it was just nightmares form her days in the tower. Unfortunately, the select moans he'd claimed he'd heard said otherwise, and she knew he had his suspicions.

The moans, though, brought up a whole other subject entirely from Robert. It was the subject she prayed he'd never bring up, and that evening changed their entire relationship...

_"Rapunzel?" Robert said softly one night as they lay in bed. Rapunzel had her nose buried in a fairytale that she had been reading the past few evenings._

_"Yes?" She peeked over the novel, looking at her husband, whose face was very handsome in the dim candlelight. She always felt terrible for not loving him the way he wished she would. If not for her enormous attachment to Eugene, she believed she could've fallen for Robert. His soft eyes, square jaw, and kind demeanor would've easily swept her up and tangled her in a web of love. That is, if her heart wasn't already taken. _

_"May we talk?" He took the book between his thumb and forefinger and lightly pulcuked it from her hands before setting it beside her. _

_"Sure," she said quietly, nervously, as she placed her hands in her lap. Robert stared at her in silence, and that silence was killing her._

_"Am I in trouble?" She kept her eyes down, barely whispering the sentence. _

_"No, darling," he said gently, his fingers twirling a piece of her hair. Her heart sped up as her body tensed: he'd never done that before. "You've done nothing wrong."_

_He moved in slowly, and Rapunzel didn't breathe. What was he doing? Why was he doing it? It was going to make everything fall apart at the seams. Things were finally not awkward with Robert, such as holding hands or sleeping in the same bed, but she knew that was about to be a thing of the past. _

_She closed her eyes as he moved his hands to rest on her stomach. His lips gently brushed her temple and slowly puckered as he moved down her cheek. She knew what he was trying to do, but it just wasn't working. She didn't want his hands and lips, she wanted Eugene's. She always would, and she knew she was eventually going to have to be upfront about it with Robert._

_"R-Robert," she said quietly, gripping the comforter in her trembling hands. She expected him to back off, yet he didn't. He sucked gently at her neck as his hand moved towards her chest. "Robert, please stop."_

_She thought he would. But he didn't. He continued on, and then his hands were where Eugene's had been, and it was all just too much, and she fell apart._

_"No! Stop!" She said loudly, pushing his hands away and scooting away, part of her seat falling off the side of the bed as the rest of her body followed and she landed with a loud thump on the floor. She looked up, waiting for him to come to rescue her, but he never did. She heard his frustrated sighs as she pulled herself to her feet and stood at the side of the bed, her arms wrapped around her stomach. _

_"I'm...I'm so sorr-"_

_"I don't want to hear it."_

_She sealed her lips and stood there in the silence. He sat motionless, pinching the bridge of his nose with his fingers. _

_The silence felt like it lasted hours, when, she knew, it was only a few moments. She was afraid of speaking. She felt like she wasn't allowed to speak._

_"Why can't you just let him go, Rapunzel?" The words he muttered pierced her heart._

_"It's not that-"_

_"Bullshit!" He yelled, looking at her with cold eyes. She took a step back. She'd never seen his eyes like that. "It's utter bullshit. What else could be the reason? You don't know what sex is?"_

_Uh oh. She knew where he was going to go with this. She knew it. Her heart sped up and her hands started to sweat. She kept her eyes to the ground, where she saw Pascal standing at her feel, rubbing against her ankles to tell her it was okay. _

_"You know, I probably would've believed that excuse, too, if not for what I hear come from your mouth at night."_

_No._

_"I've heard the moans. I'm not stupid, Rapunzel. People don't just moan sexually on their own. Whatever you two did before me, isn't my business," he looked her up and down with a look of disgust. She suddenly felt self conscious of her body. "You're lucky it hasn't gotten out. People would look down upon you. Doing something so intimate before marriage. It's quite disgusting, really. But, again, it isn't exactly my place to talk."_

_He started at her, getting out of bed and standing up. "You cannot dwell on whatever happened in the past. You're a princess. You have duties to your kingdom, as well as to your husband."_

_He walked over to her and held her face in his hands, rather tightly, she might add. She winced, his fingers beginning to pinch the skin of her cheeks. "I am your husband, Rapunzel. Do you understand that?"_

_She nodded gently, her fingers trembling. She was absolutely terrified. _

_"I know this is all new for you, what with you being up in that tower and all, but you've got to learn. No more of this 'taking things slow'. Do you hear me, Rapunzel?"_

_She had blocked out the rest of his speech, the words stinging and burning through what little self confidence and self worth she had mustered since her removal from the tower, and a tear escaped her eyes. _

_"Stop crying!" He yelled, gripping her by the shoulders. "I'm not going to stand by and let this happen anymore. You need to stop it, and start acting like an adult, let alone a princess!" _

_Eugene wouldn't yell at her for being slow or crying. He'd be patient with her, he'd hold her close until all the bad things were over._

_She hated Robert in that moment. She had never hated anybody so much, not even Gothel. She hated him more than Gothel. _

_She put the back of her hand to her cheek and wiped away the single tear, putting on a mask and standing up straighter. His demeanor softened just a bit and he slid his hands slowly down her arms. _

_That's enough for this evening. Perhaps we can try again tomorrow?" He cupped her chin and tilted her head so she was forced to look into his eyes. She knew that was a question, not a statement, and she was required to answer. She nodded softly, and he kissed her lips softly. She felt like she was about to be sick._

_He led her back under the covers, and crawled in next to her. She tensed up when she felt his arms snake around her waist and he wrapped himself around her from behind. He'd never done that before..._

Ever since that evening, he would try the same thing every single evening, and she would be forced into doing what he wanted. She had input of course, but usually her answer had to be yes, or she was called a disappointment and told she needed to try harder.

One evening, though, she couldn't bare to do it another night. She took a pillow, blanket, and Pascal up into one of the tallest points in the tower to a small loft she had discovered running around Eugene.

_"This is incredible!" Rapunzel spun around, running to the giant window that overlooked the entire city of Corona. Eugene wrapped his arms around her from behind and kissed her neck._

_"This is our secret place, okay? It's impossible for anybody else to find. If anything ever happens, or we need to get away, we meet here," he spun her around so she was looking in his eyes. "Promise?"_

_"Promise!" She leaned up and gave him a long kiss._

Robert wouldn't be able to find her. As she set up her makeshift bed in the window seat beside the window, she idly wondered how Robert would react. He would either not care, or send guards out looking for her.

As she drifted off to sleep gazing at the stars from her own little tower, she realized she didn't care what happened.

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><p><em>yes? no? review, please! let me know! <em>

_lazf_


	3. Chapter 3

_hello, readers! im sorry that i've been on a hiatus but i recently have been thinking about this story and decided to update it. i'm not exactly pleased with this chapter - i dont feel like i am a good writer anymore. but hopefully this'll get the ball rolling._

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><p><strong>To The Man She Loves<strong>

**Chapter Three**

Shouting pierced Eugene's dreams and his eyes slowly opened up, adjusting to the sunlight coming in from the window at the end of his bed. He sat up, rubbing his eyes and leaning towards the door, trying to make out what was being yelled outside of his room. God, he was tired of these thin walls. He was sick of this job in general, and he really should go and find something else. It was almost degrading, being somewhat of a servant to the woman he loved and her husband. Who was he kidding, though. He stayed so he could see her. He stayed for the tiny moments of eye contact, or the brush of hands in the hallway. Outside of this castle, he had nothing. At least inside he could see her, and sometimes even Pascal kept him company. He shook his thoughts away, focusing on the voices.

"Where was she last seen?"

"Is anything of hers missing?"

Who? Who is missing? His eyes opened wider, more alert, pushing his blankets off of him and swinging his legs over the side of his bed.

"Her chameleon is missing as well. Must be with her."

Oh, _no._

Rapunzel.

He stumbled to get up and get dressed as quickly as he could. His fingers were trembling and his heart heavy. She's missing. His princess was missing, alone and probably scared. He pushed open his door and joined the guards who were gathered in the hallway.

"What happened?" He said, a bit out of breath. Across from him, Robert was eyeing Eugene with somewhat of a disgusted look. Eugene locked eyes with him and repeated himself. "What happened to her."

Robert stepped forward and crossed his arms. "She's gone. She was in bed with me last night, and I woke up and her pillow and blanket and that stupid frog where gone."

"His name is Pascal," Eugene spat. "And he's a chameleon."

He knew he was testing his limits, and that at any moment he could be thrown out of the castle for good. But it just pissed him off that this man can call himself her wife and not know anything about her. Eugene could deal with a lot of shit, but when somebody insulted his girl, he wasn't going to just let it slide.

Robert glared, rolling his eyes and taking a deep breath to calm himself down. "Whatever it is, Eugene, she's gone. We figured you'd be the best at finding her."

Eugene felt a smirk on his lips and pride in his heart. _Hell, yeah, I would be._ "Did you check the stables?"

"A couple times."

"Library? Art room? Her old room?"

"We've looked everywhere. Nobody has seen her in the square, either."

Eugene rubbed his chin, genuinely confused. "Did she have any reason to run?"

He focused on Robert, and Robert's eyes were blank. "Not at all. Everything with she and I has been wonderful."

Eugene doubted it.

The men agreed to all split up and retrace their steps again until she was found. Eugene was sent to the higher levels of the castle, since he was able to climb and move quicker than the other older guards. It made him angry that the guards in this castle were so...crappy. He'd stolen a crown, Gothel had stolen Rapunzel as a baby, and they had lost the lost princess...again.

He hadn't found anything so far, and he was getting frustrated with himself. It made him anxious thinking she was out there alone again. Something bad could've happened to her and there was nobody there for her. He had promised he would always be there for her, and he was so bad at keeping that promise lately. Dammit, if he could've just married her himself none of this would've happened to her. He knew it had something to do with Robert. He just knew it.

He slammed his fist against a wall, cursing the laws and pressing his forehead against a window that overlooked the kingdom. He saw the town coming to life, and the sun rising over the horizon of the sea. He vaguely remembers looking out at this exact scene many times with his princess in his arms, kissing her temple and playing with her soft fingers. He closed his eyes, remembering the moment. And then his eyes shot open.

Wait.

_"This is our secret place, okay?"_

He took off into a run, his heart beating fast. He knew exactly where she was, and mentally kicked himself for not realizing it sooner.

_"If anything ever happens, or we need to get away, we meet here."_

Something had to have happened. She had to find a place to get away. He pushed his legs farther, running up the stairs to the door that led to the very tops of the castle.

_"Promise?"_

Promise.

He climbed up the ladder that led to the tiny door that housed the tiny room. He tried to catch his breath as he pressed his ear to the door to see if he could hear her. Nothing.

God, he hoped she was here. If she wasn't...he couldn't be sure where he'd find her.

Taking a deep breath, he pressed his hand to the door and knocked lightly.

Nothing.

He knocked again, his heart falling into his stomach. _Please, Rapunzel. Please._

"Blondie? It's me. I'm alone."

He heard the floor on the other side of the door shift, and saw tiny shadows at the base of the door. His heart leapt.

"Eugene?"

"It's me, Goldie." He took a breath of relief. "Just me."

She opened the door and peeked out. He gazed at her, her eyes puffy and red, and his heart fell. She had been crying.

"Can I come in?" He asked softly, giving her a light smile. She nodded and opened the door for him and going back over to the little makeshift bed she had. Pascal was asleep on her pillow snoring lightly. He shut the door behind him and sat down on the opposite end of the ledge as she, giving her some space.

"You promise nobody followed you?" Her voice was weak and the fear in her eyes was apparent. He smiled, slowly moving to take her hand in his.

"I promise."

She stared down at their hands, lost in her thoughts. He wanted to know what was wrong, but he wasn't going to push her. That's the thing about Rapunzel that most people don't consider - you've got to be slow with her and let her do things at her own pace because everything is so new to her.

It's just one of the many things that keep him up at night and plague his nightmares. She doesn't deserve to be with somebody who doesn't understand her. She deserves somebody who can hold her hand and help her through things. She deserves somebody who loves her for her, not because she's a princess and the law states she has to have somebody royal.

"What's on your mind?" She asked quietly, scooting closer to him. Her bare foot pressed against his shoe and he stared down at her feet. He loved her feet. They were so tiny.

"I hate him," he muttered. She sighed, holding his hand tighter and leaning against his shoulder. She took a deep breath, nuzzling her nose against the fabric of his jacket.

"Me, too, Eugene."

He looked down at her and softly pressed a kiss to the top of her head. Whatever the matter was, he had an overwhelming urge to make it better. He got so protective over her.

"He's your husband," he said. "How can you hate him."

She was quiet, and her breathing light. Her fingers played with his and her eyes focused on the soft dance they did. She took a deep, shaking breath and he knew he was about to find out why she was here.

"He hurts me, Eugene."

...

Hell no.

Eugene had never been so angry in his entire life. Not when he found out that Rapunzel had been kidnapped, or even when he was told she had to marry somebody else. His nostrils flared and his fingers clenched into a fist. Her head snapped up and her eyes met his. He looked down at her and put his fingers on the side of her face. He had to stare at her or he was going to go down and kill the guy himself - no matter what he did. He hurt her. That was enough of a reason.

"What the hell did he do to you?" He tried to keep his voice calm by focusing on the color of her eyes and the feel of her face on his fingertips but it was almost too hard.

Rapunzel was torn. Had she already said too much? Eugene didn't have to worry about all of this. She wasn't his problem anymore. As much as she hated that, she knew it was true. He didn't have to burden himself with her relationship issues. That wouldn't be fair to him. She also was afraid of Robert finding out. Who knew what he would do to her then.

"It's nothing," she said quietly, getting up, getting away from his touch. She gathered her pillow and blanket and straightened out her skirt. "It's nothing that you need to worry about."

"Bullshit!" He nearly yelled, and it frightened her. She stepped back against the wall, and he took a deep breath. "Rapunzel, he can't hurt you. He can't. I won't allow it."

"It doesn't matter what you will and won't allow, Eugene!" Tears formed in her eyes as she clutched her pillow to her chest. "I'm married to him! It's he and I's relationship, not yours!"

Her words hit him hard, but he pushed forward and took her face softly between his hands. "Blondie. I made you a promise. I promised I'd keep you safe. I don't want him to hurt you."

"There's nothing you can do!" She yelled, pushing him away. She had to. She had to push him as far away as possible. He couldn't help her anymore. It would just hurt him too much. She needed him to leave.

"I came up here because I wanted to make sure you were safe," his voice was weak, and his heart was breaking. Goddammit, he hated himself. He broke his promises. He couldn't keep her safe and now she didn't trust him and it frustrated him so much. She was hurt and he didn't keep her safe. "Look, I know I let you down. I know I did and I hate myself because of it. But...we can make it work. I can be what he can't be."

"No, you can't!" She cried, tears falling from her eyes onto her trembling cheeks. "You can't because I have to marry him! I have to do what the law says! Nobody will ever believe me when I tell them about him and I'm just stuck! I'm trapped! I'd rather be back in my tower than stuck here with him, Eugene! Because when I was there, I at least had you! I had you and Pascal and my tower. I just want to be with you again, but I can't and I think about it everyday and I can't do it! I hate not being able to make it work!"

He stared at her, and she stared at him, and he swore to God he had never loved her more than he did in that moment. Her whole being shook with sobs, and her bottom lip quivered with so much force he was worried she'd hurt herself. But, God, was she beautiful.

She lunged forward, jumping onto him and latching her legs around his waste and her arms around his neck before pressing her lips desperately to his. He held her weight easily and kissed her back with so much passion that it felt like the two of them would collapse at any moment.

He set her on her feet and pressed her against the wall, kissing her and running his hands heavily down her sides. He finally broke away, allowing her to breath while he pressed his forehead against hers.

"Run away with me."

Her green eyes were wide. "What?"

"Run with me."

"Eugene-"

"Run. I can give you a house and a garden and walls to paint and food to cook and I'll never hurt you. Run with me."

"Eugene," she put his face between her hands. "I can't. I can't leave my parents."

As much as he told himself she'd say yes, he knew it couldn't happen. He scooped her up into his arms and laid her on the ledge beside the window, climbing between her legs and kissing her passionately. As the sun rose above the kingdom that was frantically looking for her, they fell into each other desperately trying to recover the feelings they were too afraid to lose.

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><p><em>lazf.<em>


	4. Chapter 4

_yes, another chapter. hope you guys like how this story is going. i almost am afraid its gonna get too dark but i like it. enjoy._

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><p><strong>To The Man She Loves<strong>

**Chapter Four**

He watched the sun rise high above the castle and he knew he had to get her back. It had been at least an hour – they were probably sending even more people out to look for her, which made the chances of them being found even greater than before. Not to mention her parents were probably worried sick. He didn't think Robert cared, though, and the thought made his blood boil.

She was asleep against his chest, her soft breathing tickling his sensitive skin. She had fallen asleep as soon as they had explored and rekindled the fire they had so desperately missed since their last encounter. It was something Eugene thought was inevitable. They couldn't get enough of each other, and, while he knew it was wrong, it made him feel just a little bit happier knowing this was a way they could live with it.

He was scared for her, though, and, while he loved teaching her new and dirty things, this was one of those things he hated himself for teaching her about. She shouldn't want to cheat on her husband, and he shouldn't encourage it. But he knew this was different. She didn't love her husband, as much as she tried. She tried to trust him, which was a big deal in itself since she'd just started living in the world with new people and wasn't sure how to trust anybody but him.

But what worried him the most was Robert, and he mentally kicked himself for not getting her back in sooner, because he'd probably take it out on her.

He leaned down to press a kiss to her temple before moving his lips to her ear and running his fingers through her soft hair. God, he missed her hair.

"Rise and shine, princess," he whispered, kissing her softly. She stirred beneath him, giving him a little moan before tightening her grip around him. He laughed softly. "No, baby. We've gotta get you back. I think it's past lunch time. We've been gone awhile."

"But I'm so tired," she mewled, opening her eyes and looking up at her. "I barely get any sleep anymore, and I haven't slept like I just did in so long. You're such a good pillow."

He smirked, slowly sitting up and cradling her in his lap. Her fingers danced down his face and a worried look etched her features. Before he could ask what was wrong, she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him in for another hug. "I'm afraid to go back, Eugene. I'm so afraid."

While she hadn't explained just how exactly he'd hurt her, Eugene had a pretty good idea how. The skin beneath her clothing told a story of a thousand words, and the bruises added a dark twist in it.

He held her tight and kicked himself once again for not knowing how to fix this for her. He was supposed to fix everything. Why couldn't he do it now?

"I still say we run away," he murmured in her ear, taking her earlobe between his teeth and tugging very gently. "We could run away and nobody in this stupid castle would find us."

"Oh, Eugene," she groaned, pressing her face into his neck. She was torn. She would run with him. She'd do anything he asked of her. But she had a kingdom, and she had duties, and she owed it for being gone for eighteen years in the first place. "It's just so hard."

They held each other for awhile longer before Eugene physically pulled them apart. She pouted at him, picking up her linens and standing by the door. He gave her a smirk before pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Listen. I'd love to stay here the whole day but we both know we have to get you back to your family." God, that hurt.

Family was always a touching subject for him, what with being in an orphanage and all. He always dreamed of just having a family, and it sucked seeing it within your reach and then being pulled away in an instant. He had loved Rapunzel's parents, and they had gotten a soft spot for him. Just when he thought he was going to be okay and he'd finally get that one thing he wanted, it was taken from him and given to some stuffy prince from some island way off in the middle of nowhere.

Eugene stood at the bottom of the stairs with her pillow, blanket, and chameleon as she descended down the tower. She took the objects from his arms and looked up at him. "I'll go on ahead. We won't be seen together. I'll just say that I had climbed up somewhere high to see the stars and got stuck and nobody could hear me until you came looking. I'll tell them you helped me down and then went to go find Pascal because I couldn't find him."

Eugene nodded, taking Pascal and putting him on his shoulder. Rapunzel kissed the chameleon on the head and Eugene on the lips before walking down the big staircase. Eugene sighed, watching her walk softly down the stairs before she rounded a corner and disappeared.

Pascal gave a little sad squeak into his ear and Eugene ran his finger along his scales. "I know, little guy. I don't like this either. I'm really worried about her. Keep an eye on them for me, okay?"

Pascal squeaked before pointing forward, telling Eugene it was time to face whatever was downstairs.

"You got lost?"

"Mhm."

Rapunzel sat at the large dining table, playing with the food on her plate as she felt Robert's eyes watching her carefully from across the table. She knew she was awful at lying, Eugene used to joke with her about it all the time, she tried her very hardest to make this time believable. She figured she was going to have to get good at it anyway, if secret things with Eugene were going to keep on happening.

"How do you get lost in your own castle?"

"I haven't been in it long," she says quietly. "I was trapped somewhere else for a long time-"

"Yeah, the damned tower. I know," he ran his fingers through his hair, annoyed with her childish tendencies. She hated how he wasn't thoughtful of her. She was still learning. She hated how far behind she was on everything and she was really trying but he wasn't patient with her. Not like Eugene was.

"And where is Eugene?"

"He was looking for Pascal. He said I needed to get back and that he'd find Pascal." Yeah. That sounded pretty good. She was getting better.

He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms across his chest. "That frog causes a lot of issues. You should just let it go outside. It's kind of odd having a frog in the castle."

Her breathing picked up and her fingers trembled. He was making her angry. "He's a chameleon and he's my friend."

He sighed, rolling his eyes and sitting up in his chair. "Come here."

Rapunzel's head shot up and she looked him in the eye, sending a shiver down her spine. "Why-"

"Did I stutter?" He interrupted her. "Come."

She pushed her chair slowly back with shaky hands and walked around the large table to the other side where he had pushed his chair out from the table. He kept dark eyes on her and she kept her eyes to the floor. Her heart felt like it was about to beat through her chest and she was terrified.

As she got close enough to him, he grabbed her and pulled her onto his lap so she was straddling him. She learned not to fight it anymore. It wasn't worth the fight anymore. She just gave into it.

She kept her eyes closed as his lips pulled at her neck and his hips moved up against hers.

"You. Are. Mine." He said between his sloppy kisses, holding her hips tighter as he moved harder against her, looking for as much purchase as he could without their clothes being off.

She blocked out his voice, his moans, the sound of them together, and tears fell softly down her cheeks.

_"Run away with me."_

Her Eugene. Her Eugene wouldn't do this to her. Her Eugene would hold her softly and ask her first and kiss her softly and look in her eyes.

_"Run with me. I can get you a house and a garden and walls to paint and food to cook and I'll never hurt you. Run away with me."_

Noise from outside the dining room halted his hips and he nearly threw her off his lap. She stumbled to the ground as she tried to catch her feet and as she looked up to see who had interrupted her, he gripped her elbow and yanked her to her feet.

His brown eyes met hers from across the room where he stood in the doorway with Pascal in his hand, and she hoped to god he could see the plead in her eyes. _Help me. Save me._

His brown eyes were aflame with anger, but he kept his composer as he walked over to where the couple was standing. Rapunzel lifted her hand to her eyes to wipe her tears and then to her heart to calm down her breathing.

"Thanks for the frog," Robert scoffed as Pascal climbed from Eugene's shoulder onto the ground and scurried to climb onto Rapunzel's shoulder. "Next time, don't worry about finding him when he gets lost."

Robert put her arm through his and pulled her towards the door that lead into the hallway. She had no idea where he would be taking her, and she prayed that he had somewhere he needed to be because she needed to get out. She needed to hug Eugene and be reminded that she is worth something more than this. That she's worth more than being a punching bag. That she's a person.

She glanced over her shoulder as the left and she swore she'd never seen Eugene look so pained.


End file.
